Her eyes were lilac. That was the first thing that Anakin noticed, besides the fact that their eyes met like the Force wanted them to. The ball that still festered in Anakin's stomach was suddenly coated in a warmth thickness, like the way honey covered a hive. It was sweet and had a golden tinge to its orange hue.
For a moment, Anakin thought that the envious ball in his gut had melted and was replaced with butterflies, or bees, something that fluttered and hummed.
But she looked away and those purple swirls left his to stare at the floor below her feet. Sol walked from the centre of the room and into the crowd who awaited the next spar. Anakin watched with the returning irritation as she took her place beside Master Yoda, her hands still behind her back and her face solid. He angled his gaze past Obi-wan and saw the small nose that peaked out from the line of Jedi. The scowl returned to the young Skywalker's chiselled face and the fact that she stood with her shoulders squared and her gaze on the centre of the courtyard, made Anakin unnecessarily angry.
'New opponents, we need!' Master Yoda called out. 'Hurry, hurry! Master Fitso, your student should step forward! Anyone else to spar, is there?'
Spars ensued between Padawans, and the courtyard was a ray of colours from varying lightsabers. Each battle ended in bows and critiques from respected Masters and Grand Master Yoda. There were some applause for spars that were particularly impressive and Master Obi-wan held a warm smile on his face throughout the whole training session. Anakin could practically feel the content radiating off his Master, but it was something to focus on. But when his Master's comforting presence wasn't enough, Anakin would lean forward to catch glimpses of Sol. This occurred more often than Anakin would like to admit.
Every time he looked to her through the corner of his eye, he would see her stood next to Master Yoda with tight lips and half-lidded eyes. It wasn't boredom he saw, but the unawareness of his stare that he was sure was heated on her side. Anakin huffed at the memory of her Force connection while sparring and shook his head.
The Chosen One? Surely not, he thought.
'Excellent!' Master Yoda called once the last spar had finished. 'Master Kenobi, would your Padawan like to enter the sparring circle?'
'Of course, Master,' Obi-wan replied with a bow of his head to the green Jedi, before turning to Anakin beside him. 'Anakin?'
'Yes, Master.'
Anakin put his head down as he broke from the spectators and took to the middle of the courtyard. He turned around and looked to Obi-wan, waiting for his opponent to enter with him at the call from their Master.
But Anakin saw him turn to Master Yoda, the two having a silent conversation between themselves. During this, Anakin's gaze flickered to Sol, who stood staring at him from her place in the crowd. Their eyes met once more and the warmth only twinged his insides this time, leaving as quick as it came.
'My young Padawan will be young Skywalker's opponent,' Master Yoda announced, and whispers broke out.
The two suspected Chosen Ones were to battle. Behind cupped hands, Padawans turned to their Masters and fellow Padawans to gossip at the Grand Master's decision. Anakin realised that he seemed to be the only one who was unaware of the sharing of prophecy he and Sol seemed to have. This irritated him even more.
Without a sound, Sol stepped away from her Master and headed into the sparring circle. Facing Anakin, the young Jedi turned and took her hands out from behind her back. Anakin noticed how she blinked her lilac eyes in his direction, the blue in his own irises quivering with the strange feeling of the irritation and confusion in his stomach.
He reached for his lightsaber and let his hand swing back to his side when it was clasped in his grip. With his feet spread apart, Anakin waited for her to bow first. It was only polite to bow first as the last person to enter the sparring circle.
With her feet together, Sol lowered her top half into a bow. It was low, a sign of the upmost respect. Anakin shuffled his feet together to do the same with his lightsaber in hand and met her in his own bow. They raised together and Sol reached for her lightsaber, only to pause at the sound of her Master's voice.
'An excellent opportunity, this would be to not use your weapon, my Padawan,' Master Yoda hummed. 'Young Skywalker will keep his lightsaber and test your connection to the Force.'
More whispers buzzed and Anakin's furrowed his brow at Obi-wan. The man also looked confused at the Grand Master's decision, and lowered to his height to speak to him quietly. Anakin strained his ears to listen from where he stood in the sparring circle, and he was sure Sol did the same. He saw the way she turned her head to the side in an almost missable way, exposing her slender neck and sharp jaw.
'Are you sure, Master? Anakin is very skilled in combat-'
'Sure, I am, Master Kenobi,' Master Yoda intervened and closed his eyes. 'Trust Sol, I do. This will also be a challenge for your Padawan, too.'
Obi-wan returned to his full height and eyed Anakin. He nodded his head as if to say that he had no power in this instance, but Anakin didn't care for that. Master Yoda seemed to be so sure that Sol could take him on without her lightsaber, and that deeply offended him.
He turned to face Sol who had pulled her hand away from her lightsaber and put her hands behind her back once more. To add to the injury, her lightsaber flew from her belt and into the hands of her Master. A soft click came from the contact of the metal with Master Yoda's hand and he held it up to Obi-wan. He took it carefully and held the weapon by his side, making Anakin even more irritated. His own Master was willingly holding the lightsaber of his Padawan's opponent. Surely, this was some way to embarrass Anakin in front of everyone.
Not wanting to waste anymore time, Anakin ran forward with his lightsaber ignited. A smirk ghosted his lips at the thought of winning this battle in seconds. How could Sol fight without her lightsaber? A Jedi was nothing without their lightsaber. Obi-wan made sure to drill that into him as much as possible.
Anakin decided to swipe across as his first act of attack. But the blue blade sliced at nothing as Sol ducked and slid to the left. He sliced diagonally in her direction, and she ducked to the right. She was now behind him with his torso twisted with the swing of his attack. Anakin forcefully twisted around with the intent to at least singe her, but Sol leapt high and flew over his head.
He could see how this could get tedious.
With a grunt, Anakin spun around and used both hands to attack once more. But Sol was gone before the blade could even heat her robes. She flipped in the area and landed perfectly on her feet next to him, infuriating the Padawan. He knew that he shouldn't let his anger hinder his vision and take control of his actions, but he couldn't help it.
No matter how much Anakin spun and swung at her, Sol danced around him gracefully. Her twists and leaps were quicker than anything he had ever seen. The Force acted as her wind and pushed her out of his line of attack every time. The closest he got to touching her was the inch longer hair that he singed with one close swipe of his lightsaber, but it wasn't enough for him.
With a final swing, Anakin lost sight of Sol for the countless time and felt the wind leave his chest. A thud between his shoulders caught him by surprise and he stumbled forward. His boots scuffed against the tiles, and his arms flailed subtly to catch his falling figure. He caught himself and whipped around, gathering what had happened. He was nearly never caught off guard, yet this woman had done so in one training session.
There stood Sol, a smug look on her face. Without a scratch on her, she looked at Anakin with mischief in her purple eyes.
She had pushed him. A small nudge to his back had sent the Skywalker stumbling in front of everyone. The ultimate humiliation had just happened, and Anakin was furious.
Sol had jeopardised Anakin's destiny as the Chosen One, embarrassed him in front of Master Kenobi, and set his emotions edge. No one had ever infuriated him more in a single hour.
'Enough, that is for today,' Master Yoda broke through the silence that was thick and heavy over the room. 'Well done, Padawans. You have proved yourselves today. Especially young Skywalker and Sol. Skilful, you both are. But there is always improvement awaiting.'
Anakin didn't wait for Master Yoda's dismissal. He sheathed his lightsaber and made haste towards the doorway. Members of the crowd jumped out of his way as the young man stomped through them, his fiery gaze down turned, and his lip curled in a scowl. A shock rippled through the room and Sol almost laughed at the Skywalker's thundering exit.
'Anakin! You must bow to your opponent!' Obi-wan called after him, embarrassed by his Padawan's lack of manners. But he was gone without a reply, and Obi-wan was left to apologise to Master Yoda and Sol with the deepest sympathies.
Sol watched the doorway of the training room with a small smile on her lips. Anakin Skywalker was certainly a force to be reckoned with.